greenbowe



JAMES WALTER GBEENBOWE, OF WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY.

FIBROUS IN K-ERASER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '7, 1919.

Application filed October 6, 1915. Serial No. 54,430.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WALTER GREEN- BowE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 401 Gregory ave, Weehawken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fibrous Ink-Erasers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to ink erasers havin a core of glass fibers combined with a suitable holder, and the object of the invention is to facilitate the application of a tuft of fibers to the said holder.

The glass fibers as used for such tufts are commonly spun upon a wheel six feet in diameter and consequently when removed therefrom, form a fibrous strip approximately eighteen feet in length. When this strip has been removed from the wheel, the delicate fibers spread apart, and the strip is very difficult to handle.

When it is desired to inclose a tuft of such spun glass in a holder of paper, wood or metal, it is necessary to bind the fibers in such manner that they will become rigid, resembling the lead as used in the ordinary writing pencil. thus permitting them to be fed in a machine, and' to be automatically covered by the desired form of holder.

It is obvious that a short section of glass fibers adapted to form the core of an eraser cannot be handled and fed automatically without some sort of binder to hold the fibers compactly together, and my invention therefore consists of a new article of manufacture, namely, a tuft of spun glass fibers having a binder of such character that it may be handled for insertion in a holder.

This invention creates a rod of glass fibers retained together by a suitable binder, as will be hereinafter described, such binder holding the fibers in a compact rod, which is adapted to form the core of an eraser, and which has firmness sufficient to permit the feeding of it in a machine for applying the holder thereto.

This rod or core may be produced by drawing a thin rubber cover of soft rubber tubing over a strip of glass fibers but it is preferably produced by spirally winding a paper or other wrapper continuously about a strip of the glass fibers of any desired length. I find that by dampening the fibers, I can secure the immediate adhesion of a strip of thin paper that has been provided with a coating of adhesive or stiffening solution, soluble in water; as, by binding the fibers with such a strip of paper having its prepared side contiguous to the dampened glass fibers, the moisture on the fibers dissolves the adhesive, thus securing the spirally wound strip firmly about the fibers. It is obviously immaterial whether the moisture is applied to the fibers previous to the application of the strip to the fibers or whether the strip is moistened at the point of application to the fibers. NVhen such wound strip has become dry, the stiffening liquid combined with the spiral wrapping gives the fibrous strip the required rigidity; permitting the same to be readily cut into the desired lengths to be conveniently handled and supplied with the desired holders.

The said strip may be provided with a binder by dipping it in a solution of shellac or other stiffening composition or saturating it with a compound similar to that used in the manufacture of an ordinary rubber eraser, and may then be wrapped in a strip of adhesive material, such as very thin rubber, both operating to bind the fibers together, and such a rubber binder assisting in the erasing operation, and wearing away as the glass tuft is worn when in use.

The process of preparing the glass fibers for use in a holder may be effected by mechanism as shown herein, or by hand.

When a stiffening material is used without any Wrapper, the stifl'ening material itself may act as an eraser and wear as the fibers are worn.

In the drawing, I have only shown the parts which operate upon the strip and the binder, as other parts are immaterial.

The mechanism is not claimed herein, as the construction will be the subject of a separate application.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the binding device. Fig. 2 is a section taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a strip of the glass fibers before the binder has been applied thereto, and Fig. 4 shows a tuft of the fiber with a spirally wound binder.

Referring to the drawing, A is a strip of glass fibers. one end of which is immersed in a liquid contained in the receptacle I). Said strip then passes between two pressure rollers or wringer a, so that the surplus liquid may be removed. The strip A then passes through a hollow stud f, which is held in a bearing d, by pins 9-9. The stud f projects from the bearing, and carries a loose sleeve it; said sleeve being held from end movement by a collar h. A reel of paper 2' is held in an angular relation to the sleeve h, by a universal joint j to ermit a variation in the angular position 0 the reel, and thus permitting the strip to be wound with a narrow or broad lap as desired. Sleeve h is revolved b means of a pulley j, and belt is eonnecte to suitable power. A counterweight 1 is provided on the sleeve to counterbalance the weight of the reel of paper. As sleeve It is revolved, the reel 21 is rotated about the fibers A, at any required speed, tension being kept upon the reel by a spring m which is adjusted by a nut n, thus giving the desired pull upon the strip and winding the fibers loosely or tightly as required.

Feed rollers g'g draw the strip through the stud and sleeve; said rollers being driven by means of a pulle 'r and belt 1" attached to suitable power. his mechanism shows a means of binding a tuft, but it is obvious that the result ma be obtained by other constructions or by and, and I do not therefore claim the means of preparing the tuft, but the new article of manufacture produced by such process.

Iflow having described my invention, I cla1m:-

As a new article of manufacture, a core of fibrous material adapted to be applied to a holder to form an eraser, consisting of a tuft of glass fibers held in place against individual separation by a continuous wrapper wound closely about said tuft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set hand. JAMES W ALTER GREENBOWE.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 01' Yatents,

- Washington, D. C. 

